The Emory University baseball team was handed a tough-luck 1-0 loss to the State University of New York – Cortland on Friday afternoon in game one of the 2016 NCAA Baseball Championships at Fox Cities Stadium in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Emory's Jackson Weeg and Cortland's Seth Lamando, the D3Baseball.com Pitcher of the Year, matched up in a pitcher's duel for the ages on Friday as both pitchers went the full nine innings in the ballgame despite a rain delay spanning almost two hours after the third inning.
Weeg allowed just the one run on six hits and one walk while striking out seven. It is the first loss on Weeg's ledger this season (7-1, 2.28 ERA) and the first time he has lost a decision in his last 24 appearances (23 starts). Lamando improved to 10-0 (0.72 ERA) for the season as the Eagles were able to muster just six hits and three walks. Lamando punched out 10 Emory hitters in the outing.
The Red Dragons had runners on in each of the first three innings but Weeg was able to escape with no damage done, forcing Cortland to ground into an inning-ending double play in all three innings.
Following the hour and 50 minute rain delay, Weeg was in cruise control, retiring 17 of the last 21 batters he faced in his final six innings of work. His only hiccup was a two-out home run to the Red Dragons' shortstop, Paul Dondero, in the seventh inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, senior David Coble walked and stole second with one out but Lamando was able to get junior Wilson Morgan to strikeout looking to end the inning. In the bottom of the eighth, the Eagles again were able to get a runner in scoring position as senior Dylan Eisner stole second following a one out single. However, sophomore Bubby Terp was retired via strikeout to end the frame.
In the bottom of the ninth, sophomore Nick Chambers lead off with sharp single to short but was erased as junior Chris Young lined into a double play at first. Senior Chris Slivka stepped up to the plate as Emory's last opportunity to tie the game but was sent down looking by Lamando to end the game.
The Eagles best scoring opportunity came in the second inning as Emory worked the bases loaded with two outs as junior Philip Maldari singled, Young was hit by a pitch and Slivka walked but Lamando retired Coble on a strikeout to end the threat.
Emory will now face the loser of the Wisconsin-La Crosse versus Trinity (Tx.) matchup tomorrow morning at 11:00 AM in an elimination game at Fox Cities Stadium.